Fire rated wall/door system

Abstract

A fire rated wall/door system 10 comprises a transparent panel 12 which is supported by a frame means 23 for protecting the peripheral edge 40 of the panel 12 from delamination. Further, mounting means 32 mount the frame 23 in a wall 30 so as to accommodate expansion of the panel 12 and frame 23 to prevent panel bowing with resultant delamination of panel 12 and premature failure.

We claim: 
     
       1. A fire rated structure system comprising: a fire rated transparent glass assembly having outer layers of transparent tempered glass enclosing an inner layer of transparent heat-absorbing gel medium, said assembly having a peripheral edge;   frame means for supporting the assembly and protecting the peripheral edge from a fire so as to prevent delamination of the glass from the gel medium;   a fire rated wall;   means for mounting the frame means into said fire rated wall so as to accommodate expansion of the assembly and frame to prevent assembly and frame bowing and assembly delamination;   said mounting means including: (a) a rod extending from one of said frame means and said wall;   (b) a cylinder means for receiving and guiding said rod, said cylinder means extending from the other of said frame means and said wall from which said rod extends, with said rod being urged further into said cylinder means as said assembly and frame expand; and   (c) flexible fire rated material covering said rod and said cylinder means and extending between said frame means and said fire rated wall.     
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1 wherein said frame means includes upper, lower, and side portions, and wherein one of said upper and lower portions are mounted rigidly to said wall, and the other of said upper and lower portions being interconnected with the wall by the rod and the cylinder means. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim 1 including a plurlaity of rods extending from one of said frame means and said wall, and said cylinder means for receiving and guiding said rods, and extending from the other of said frame means and said wall. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim 1 wherein said frame means includes: fire rated material covering said peripheral edge; and   a steel plate covering said fire rated material.   
     
     
       5. The system of claim 1 wherein said frame means includes: a first frame secured to said assembly;   a second frame secured to said wall;   means for securing said first frame to said second frame so that said first frame can swing open relative to said second frame.   
     
     
       6. The system of claim 1 wherein said frame means includes sides extending for a full length of the assembly which have segmented portions, and means for allowing the segmented portions to expand relative to each other.